Tampereen Ilves Naiset (lit.'Tampere Lynx Women') are an ice hockey team in the Naisten Liiga, the premier women's ice hockey league in Finland. They are the representative women's team of the multi-sport club Ilves, based in Tampere, Pirkanmaa, and their home arena is the Tesoman jäähalli in Tampere's Tesoma district. They are the only team to have iced a team every season since the establishment of the Naisten SM-sarja in 1982 (renamed Naisten Liiga in 2017). The team ranks second on the list of most Aurora Borealis Cup wins, with ten, and has claimed the most Finnish Championship medals in league history, with ten gold, twelve silver, and six bronze for 28 total medals.

Tampereen Ilves Naiset
CityTampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
LeagueNaisten Liiga
Founded1982 (1982)
Home arenaTesoman jäähalli [fi]
ColoursGreen, yellow, black, white
       
General managerYin Tuorila
Head coachMarjo Voutilainen
CaptainJenna Lehtiniemi
WebsiteOfficial website
Championships
Aurora Borealis Cup10 (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2006, 2010)
EWCC1 (2011)
Current season

Season-by-season results edit

This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by Tampereen Ilves Naiset.
Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season League Preliminaries and regular season Post season results
Finish GP W OTW OTL L GF GA Pts Top scorer
2015–16 Naisten SM-sarja 8 28 0 2 1 25 31 178 5   S. Parkusjärvi 10 (4+6) Saved in relegation
2016–17 Naisten SM-sarja 6 28 9 3 4 12 62 73 37   S. Kärnä 25 (13+12) Lost quarterfinal, 1–2 (KalPa)
2017–18 Naisten Liiga 1 30 21 5 2 2 139 41 75   L. Välimäki. 58 (30+28)   Lost final, 1–3 (Kärpät)
2018–19 Naisten Liiga 2 30 21 1 1 7 149 70 66   L. Välimäki. 71 (36+35)   Lost final, 0–3 (Blues)
2019–20 Naisten Liiga 6 30 9 2 5 14 77 95 36   J. Suokko 32 (13+19) Lost quarterfinal, 0–3 (KalPa)
2020–21 Naisten Liiga 4th 28 12 3 5 8 83 66 47   J. Suokko 36 (22+14) Lost bronze medal, 1–2 (HIFK)
2021–22 Naisten Liiga 4th 30 12 2 3 13 78 72 43   A. Kaitala 30 (17+13) Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (TPS)
2022–23 Naisten Liiga 5th 36 16 4 3 13 105 98 59   E. Varpula 36 (11+25) Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (HPK)
2023–24 Naisten Liiga 5th 32 14 5 1 12 102 94 53   A. Kaitala 34 (21+13) Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (KalPa)

Players and personnel edit

2023–24 roster edit

As of 18 February 2024[1][2][3][4]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
14   Anniina Kaitala (A) F L 26 2021 Hauho, Kanta-Häme, Finland
24   Emma Katajamäki F L 26 2023 Seinäjoki, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
5   Anna Kilponen D L 28 2023 Orivesi, Pirkanmaa, Finland
8   Josefina Koskinen D L 20 2020 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
26   Julia Kuusisto F L 17 2022 Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland
23   Sanna Lehikoinen D L 24 2020 Joensuu, North Karelia, Finland
4   Jenna Lehtiniemi (C) D L 25 2014 Ikaalinen, Pirkanmaa, Finland
11   Linnea Melotindos F L 23 2022 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
44   Noora Mylläri F L 24 2022 Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland
30   Melisa Mörönen G L 26 2022 Alavus, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
22   Kiia Narinen F L 21 2020 Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland
19   Aleksandra Nurminen F L 21 2022 Ylöjärvi, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
46   Noora Oksanen D L 21 2023 Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland
18   Tuuli Ollikainen F L 22 2020 Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland
17   Veera Ollikainen F L 22 2020 Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland
12   Pihla Parkkonen F L 22 2020 Mikkeli, South Savo, Finland
1   Neea Pohjamo G L 22 2021 Ruokolahti, South Karelia, Finland
29   Elli Pohjanaho (L) D L 17 2023 Nokia, Pirkanmaa, Finland
9   Helen Puputti (A) F L 27 2019 Hollola, Päijät-Häme, Finland
3   Venla Riipinen F L 24 2019 Mikkeli, South Savo, Finland
31   Oona Rouhiainen D L 23 2018 Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland
25   Johanna Siira D L 26 2017 Mäntsälä, Uusimaa, Finland
35   Salla Sivula G L 25 2023 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
21   Fredrica Sundman F R 19 2022
33   Elli Suoranta D R 21 2021 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
6   Pinja Tenhunen F R 22 2020 Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland
55   Nanna-Katariina Timonen D L 17 2019 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
27   Emilia Varpula F L 24 2020 Kuortane, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
Coaching staff and team personnel
  • Head coach: Marjo Voutilainen
  • Assistant coach: Reetu Kulhua
  • Assistant coach: Riikka Noronen
  • Goaltending coach: Hanna-Kaisa Rantanen
  • Goaltending coach: Lea Saarni
  • Conditioning coach: Petri Simonen
  • Team managers: Tapio Kallonen & Minna Lehtiniemi
  • Equipment managers: Marko Lahtinen, Mikael Mustalahti & Mia Salonen
  • Physical therapist: Elise Heikkilä

Team captaincy history edit

Head coaches edit

Retired numbers edit

Honours and awards edit

Finnish Championship edit

  •   Aurora Borealis Cup (10): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2006, 2010
  •   Runners-up (12): 1983, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019
  •   Third Place (6): 1984, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2015

European Women's Champions Cup edit

Ilves represented the Naisten SM-sarja as reigning Finnish Champion at the IIHF European Women's Champions Cup in 2011.[7][8][9]

Individual awards edit

Finnish Ice Hockey Association trophies recognizing individual players won by Ilves team members. Former Ilves head coach Linda Leppänen (née Välimäki) is the most prolific award winner in team history, having won both the highest number of trophies, with seven, and the broadest variety of trophies, with five different awards.

  • 1984–85: Anne Haanpää
  • 1989–90: Marianne Ihalainen
  • 1991–92: Anne Nurmi
  • 1994–95: Sari Marjamäki
  • 2000–01: Sari Marjamäki
  • 2009–10: Linda Välimäki
  • 2017–18: Linda Välimäki
  • 2005–06: Maija Hassinen
  • 2009–10: Linda Välimäki
  • Student Athlete of the Year
  • 2019–20: Tanja Koljonen

All-Stars edit

Naisten Liiga All-Star First Team

  • 2007–08: Maija Hassinen-Sullanmaa (G), Jenni Hiirikoski (D)
  • 2008–09: Linda Välimäki (C)
  • 2009–10: Jenni Hiirikoski (D), Linda Välimäki (C), Sari Kärnä (RW)
  • 2010–11: Anna Kilponen (D)
  • 2011–12: Heidi Peltari (D)
  • 2017–18: Linda Välimäki (C), Riikka Noronen (RW)
  • 2020–21: Anni Keisala (G), Anna Kilponen (D)

Naisten Liiga All-Star Second Team

Second Team All-Star honors were not awarded prior to the 2017–18 season.

Player of the Month edit

  • October 2017: Linda Välimäki
  • January 2021: Anni Keisala

Team records and leaders edit

As of 10 April 2022

Single-season records edit

Career records edit

  • Most career goals: Marianne Ihalainen, 320 goals (323 games; 1982–2001)
  • Most career assists: Johanna Koivula, 302 assists (495 games; 1997–2018)
  • Most career points: Marianne Ihalainen, 602 points (323 games; 1982–2001)
  • Most career points, defenceman: Anna Aaltomaa, 203 points (279 games; 1992–2006)
  • Best career points per game, over 30 games played: Linda Leppänen, 2.108 P/G (157 games; 2005–2019)
  • Most career penalty minutes: Johanna Koivula, 323 PIM (495 games; 1997–2018)
  • Most games played, skater: Johanna Koivula, 495 games (1997–2018)
  • Most games played, goaltender: Viivi Vartia-Koivisto, 98 games (2008–2021)

All-time scoring leaders edit

The top-ten point-scorers in franchise history.

Note: Nat = Nationality; Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game;   = current Ilves player; Bold indicates franchise record

Points
Nat Player Pos GP G A Pts P/G
  Marianne Ihalainen F 323 320 282 602 1.864
  Johanna Koivula F 495 186 302 488 0.986
  Mari Saarinen F 315 158 180 338 1.073
  Linda Välimäki F 157 182 149 331 2.108
  Tiia Reima F 159 198 127 325 2.044
  Sari Fisk F 196 180 144 324 1.653
  Marika Lehtimäki F 166 113 124 237 1.428
  Tiina Pihala F 167 88 136 224 1.341
  Anne Nurmi F 124 116 98 214 1.726
  Jaana Peltonen F 179 106 103 209 1.168

Source(s): [10]

Notable alumni edit

Seasons active with Ilves listed alongside player name.

International players edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2023-2024 Naisten Liiga – Kokoonpano Ilves". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). September 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Naisten Liiga (W) – Ilves, 2023-2024 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Joukkue". Tampereen Ilves Naiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  4. ^ Seppä, Lassi (20 October 2022). "Ilveksen luottopuolustaja Jenna Lehtiniemen kausi päättyi leikkauspöydälle". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  5. ^ Foster, Meredith (3 October 2017). "Linda Välimäki hits 300-goal milestone in the Naisten Liiga". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  6. ^ Raunio, Antti (5 May 2022). "Ilves löysi uuden päävalmentajan Kuopiosta – Marjo Voutilainen ottaa ohjat". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  7. ^ Foster, Meredith (26 March 2018). "Kärpät, Ilves headed to Aurora Borealis Cup Final". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  8. ^ Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Liiga. Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. ISSN 0784-3321. OCLC 476321083.
  9. ^ Foster, Meredith (26 March 2019). "The Espoo Blues are the 2019 Aurora Borealis Cup Champions". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  10. ^ "All Time Regular Season Player Stats for Ilves - Liiga (W)". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 10 September 2020.

External links edit